Seven Seas "WRITER" A5 Journal Sanzen TRP 8th Edition

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Seven Seas "WRITER" A5 Journal Sanzen TRP 8th Edition

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Seven Seas
Seven Seas "WRITER" A5 Journal Sanzen TRP 8th Edition

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Tomoe River
Seven Seas "WRITER" A5 Journal Sanzen TRP 8th Edition

Price:

$28.00

Rating:

( 199 product reviews )

Shipping:

Calculated at checkout

Max Purchase:

12 unit(s)

This is the 8th edition Writer, with the Sanzen 52gsm cream Tomoe River paper. Please note that all review prior to 4/3/2025 are for earlier editions!

Thanks to its cult-like following, Tomoe River paper needs no introduction, so onward to the Seven Seas Writer!

We like to think of the Seven Seas Writer not as a great fountain pen notebook, but rather as a great notebook that just happens to be fountain-pen-friendly. Therefore, regardless of your chosen writing instrument, you will enjoy this notebook's substantial page count (480), pleasant heft, subtle printed lines, lay-flat capability and unassuming character.

The pages are "thread-bound", which is a very old and still the best production method of bookbinding. Thread-bound pages are sewn (with a special automated sewing machine) into signatures, which are gathered to form a text-block, which is then cased into a cover. This method allows the journal to lay flat with no stress to the spine, and for that reason it is the absolute best method for binding a book (including a library book) that sees the daily rigors of opening, closing and pressing down with the hands. It can even be folded back on itself. If you were to go on an around-the-world trip over the course of many months and needed to document your experiences in great detail, this journal would certainly be up to the task.

The paper size is A5 (148x210mm or 8.3x5.8 inches), and 15mm thick. The cover is made of impregnated cloth, stiffened through the use of a core board sandwiched between between it and the end sheets. You can use the book as-is, or put it inside a leather, cloth, paper, vinyl, fabric, etc. outer cover.

For more information, please read the Seven Seas Writer and Standard Notes and also the Seven Seas Tomoe River Journal Facts.

Tips:

The notebook will lay flatter if you bend it back on itself. Don't be afraid to do this - the binding is very strong. there is no way the pages can fall out by themselves.

If you use a fine-to-medium fountain pen, the ink will generally dry fast enough. If it doesn't, close the book on the included pink blotter sheet.

If you use a pencil, 2B and softer leads work well.

Pencil marks erase very cleanly from this paper. Use a high-quality plastic eraser.

If you find the book a bit thick for your writing style, please read this.

Recommended accessories:

Cheap Notebook Cover and Insert

MF Faux Leather A5 Notebook Cover with bookmark

Seven Seas + Gfeller Kip leather cover

Herz of Japan Italian leather covers

Super Clips and Mini Clips

Hard or soft writing mats - Order size A5; larger works well too

Blotter paper - Order size A5 (please note that the notebook already comes with one sheet)

Specifications:

Size A5, 210x148mm, 8.3x5.8 inches

Cream-color Tomoe River "Notebook" paper, 52gsm

480 pages (240 leaves) with rounded corners and 7mm lines

Lay-flat thread binding

Flexible, tough, thin water-resistant coated-fabric cover

Ivory-colored end sheets

Comes with one A5 blotter paper

Made in Japan

ABOUT MANUFACTURING VARIATION: We've found that Tomoe River paper, and thin paper in general, is unlike working with "regular" weight papers such as 20 lb bond, laid, wove, etc. papers (we have actually be unable to find any binders in the US that are willing to work with TR paper). Tomoe River paper is very sensitive to humidity, and when bound in a thick book by machine as ours are, some unexpected variations can occur. So far, we've experienced the following (also please see the pictures):

Rippled pages

A subtle "waviness" on the edge of the book block

Dog-eared pages (rare)

Except for a torn page, none of these issues affect the writing surface or quality of the writing experience, and it's not practical for us to go through each book page-by-page (these issues can be quite random). However, if for any reason you are not satisfied with the book you receive, please let us know (dave@nanamipaper.com) and we'll do our best to rectify the situation. Thank you for your understanding!

For more information and design goals, please read the Seven Seas Journal Fact Page.

If you'd like to compare this journal to the cost of other journals, please see our notebook value comparison table.

Did you know that Hemingway wrote with a pencil? We like to think that, had he known about the Seven Seas Writer, he would have used a fountain pen. Here's the full story.

Product Reviews

Previous | Showing reviews 131-140 of 199 | Next

Simply The Best

Posted by Bob on 20th Jun 2018

The first thing I look at in a notebook or journal is the binding. It does not matter how good the paper is if the pages are going to come apart and scatter in the wind. This notebook has the best binding I have seen, regardless of price. The paper is arranged in many small signatures (sections), each one being sewn. This construction allows the notebook to lie flat, even on the first and last pages. The cover is flexible but not "floppy" like some plastic covers. I use it with the cover. The second thing I look at is the quality of the paper, and this is Tomoe Riiver. Enough said about that. The lines are faint enough to be unobtrusive with a 7mm ruling. This is the best Notebook I have used.
Fantastic notebook

Posted by Unknown on 18th Jun 2018

My order was delivered unbelievably fast. Submitted my order Friday night, delivered to my door on the East coast on Monday. Wow! As for the writer notebook, I love it!! It’s fabulous— a joy to write in, takes all my fountain pens beautifully. I will keep buying from this company as long as these notebooks are available here.
Best notebook I've ever had.

Posted by Unknown on 18th Jun 2018

I'm on my fourth now and it continues to be a winner of a notebook. Great with a variety of fountain pen inks. Takes a beating with around-the-world travel. Continues to be a winner.
The best journal I found for my fountain pens.

Posted by Richard Grady on 17th Jun 2018

The paper in the Writer is great & inspiring.
Notebook Peace

Posted by A. D. Perales on 17th Jun 2018

This notebook is perfection. Strong binding. Lies flat. Beautiful paper that works beautifully with fountain pens, mildliners, and watercolors.

The lines are light, sometimes in low light (like coffee shops) I can't see them well. But it looks elegant and the cream is easy on the eyes. I follow their tip of stacking a notebook underneath the shallow side for comfort and ease of writing.

You will not find a better quality lined notebook, especially at this price range.

If you're a novelist like myself, this is the notebook you've been longing for!
Ideal Notebook

Posted by Michelle on 7th Mar 2017

I have used numerous notebooks and honestly, this one blows them all away. I can't get over the page count and how light the journal is...if you're one the fence about purchasing, get off the fence right now and go for it. It's amazing and worth every penny.
love it!

Posted by Jared on 6th Mar 2017

Love this thing. Oddly wish they had thinner / fewer page versions. It's pretty thick n I have a difficult time writing on the edge of the page.
Yes, It Really Is That Good

Posted by Brad Gadberry on 3rd Mar 2017

All the good things you've heard about Tomoe River paper and the Seven Seas notebooks are true. It really is that good. And, in my experience, there's nothing quite like it.

I used it for journaling. I'm on my second one now -- evidently I go through about one every two months -- and I have four blank ones on the shelf, waiting, because I'm afraid they'll go out of stock. I'll probably order more soon.

The quality of the paper, the tactile feel of the cover, the strength and flexibility of the binding... all unmatched.

So, obviously I am an enthusiest. But, there are a couple things to be aware of.

1) I don't know how these things are made, but they don't seem like a machine factory product. There is some variation, and sometimes you get some quirks... signatures where the paper has a small crimp, or signatures where the rule lines don't match up perfectly across a page spread. Ordinarily, that sort of thing would bother me. With this notebook, it just doesn't. It's a miniscule factor compared to everything else, and even gives each notebook a bit of character.

On a related note... I have a Seven Seas Standard that was sold as a factory second. I bought that because it's all that was in stock. And... it's fine! I see why it was marked as a second: on the binding, along the "corner" between the binding and the back cover, the edge stands a bit proud from the rest of the binding. It's not a problem, and if I put it in a cover, it will be completely undetectable. In future, I may order seconds by choice, since you save several dollars.

2) The factors that make the Tomoe River paper so good and so fountain-pen friendly have a downside... the (very thin) paper is so dense and smooth that many -- in fact most -- fountain pen inks will smear when handled, even after the ink is well and truly dried. I don't have hundreds of inks... I own or have sampled maybe two dozen. Of those, I have found five that do not and will not smear: each of the standard Pilot inks -- Blue, Black, and Blue Black (Pilot Blue Black is my favorite go-to workhorse ink) -- and two "Bulletproof" Noodler's, Hunter Green and Fox Red. (These are the only two bulletproof Noodler's ink I have tried; I plan to try more.) Diamine inks, so good in other respects, smear terribly on this paper. Pilot Iroshizuku inks, which are wonderful, smear slightly. J. Herbin Perle Noire does pretty well, but the occasional smear will happen.

Even with those provisos, though, I cannot recommend this notebook highly enough.
Cannot get enough.

Posted by Pete on 22nd Jan 2017

The Writer was my second Seven Seas notebook. All of the Seven Seas notebooks I've used have surpassed my expectations, and I will continue to purchase them as my primary notebooks as long as they exist.
Excellent product

Posted by Susan Jensen on 20th Jan 2017

I LOVE the tomoe river paper notebook I purchased, the quality is superb and lots and lots of pages. Fountain pen is delightful on this paper and I am very happy with this.
Absolutely love this company.

Previous | Showing reviews 131-140 of 199 | Next

Product Videos

Seven Seas Writer Review (06:59)

Seven Seas Writer notebook made with the amazing Tomoe River Paper. A5: 8.3 x 5.8 inches; 14.8 x 21 cm 480 Pages of 52 gsm paper; 7mm ruling Made in Japan Available at: http://www.nanamipaper.com/categories/seven-seas-tomoe-river-paper.html INSTAGRAM: http://www.instagram.com/thejournaljoy/ Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the product nor do I receive any compensation for this review/ providing a link to the website.